New Podcasts on Academies and Education Excellence Award Honorees
These new First Chair podcasts focus on the return of National Academies and Rider Rally, as well as PSIA-AASI Education Excellence Award honorees Stacey Gerrish and Mermer Blakeslee.
Eliza on How Academies Made a Successful Return
In this podcast, First Chair catches up with PSIA-AASI’s Board of Directors Chair Eliza Kuntz about what it was like for the National Academies and Rider Rally Events to make a successful return to Breckenridge, Colorado. One year after all national on-snow learning events were postponed due to COVID-19, more than 260 attendees were able to carve, teach, and clinic together again in a mix of sunny and snowy spring conditions.
Eliza also shares the direction of where PSIA-AASI is headed now and into the future.
Mermer Receives PSIA-AASI’s Education Excellence Award
Mermer Blakeslee was recently recognized with the Excellence Award, which honors those exceptional members who’ve authored PSIA-AASI educational materials. Listen to this podcast to learn about her how Mermer has worked to destigmatizing fear by showing that fear is not a weakness, and that students can use skills to overcome their fears. Her non-fiction book about the psychology of skiing and teaching A Conversation with Fear (2012) helped many snowsports enthusiasts take their skills to the next level. She also supported PSIA-AASI educational products including Core Concepts for Snowsports Instructors. Congrats, Mermer!
Stacey Receives PSIA-AASI’s Education Excellence Award
Listen to this podcast to hear from Stacey Gerrish, who was recently recognized with the Education Excellence Award. Her dedication to education landed her squarely in the development of several PSIA-AASI publications, including Core Concepts for Snowsports Instructors, the Children’s Instruction Manual, 2nd edition, the Alpine Children’s Teaching Handbook, and the Snowboard Teaching Handbook. Stacey has helped author or review seven PSIA-AASI educational products. Congrats, Stacey!
